Ferrofluid Bolt Kit

You've seen this picture in our catalog and on the web... now here is your chance to reproduce it!

Bulk Ferrofluid (100 ml)

SKU #FF-310

Availability: In Stock

$39.95

80 points (Points accrued: 0)

Qty.

Available in 100 ml or 1000 ml bottles.

Bulk Ferrofluid (1000ml)

SKU #FF-350

Availability: In Stock

$220.00

440 points (Points accrued: 0)

Qty.

Description

You've seen this picture in our catalog and on the web... now here is your chance to reproduce it! Our Ferrofluid* Bolt Kit comes complete with everything you need to create the amazing field spikes seen here. Each kit includes a 50 ml bottle of Ferrofluid, a special ferrous nut and bolt, and magnets. Makes a great demonstration. Can be used again and again.

*A ferrofluid is a liquid that becomes strongly magnetized in the presence of a magnetic field.

Notice: While Ferrofluid is amazing, it is also very messy stuff. Rubber gloves, safety goggles, and protective clothing should be used. Close adult supervision required.

The Ferrofluid in the display cells is not the same as the Ferrofluid in the Bolt Kit. This Ferrofluid cannot be used to make a display cell.

Our Ferrofluids are intended for educational and demonstration purposes only. They are not designed for use in loudspeakers or any other device. Sorry, we do not carry any Ferrofluids designed for such purposes.

When a black liquid is slowly dropped on the top of a magnetized bolt, numerous spikes form.

Safety Precautions:

Neodymium magnets are extremely strong and unexpectedly can attract other magnets or
pieces of ferrous metal. Often this results in pinched fingers and flying chips from the
magnets.

Safety glasses, rubber gloves, and protective clothing must be worn whenever using neodymium magnets and ferrofluid. When neodymium magnets collide with an object, they sometimes chip and ferrofluid will permanently stain surfaces such as tabletops, clothing, skin, or eyes.

Do not bring a magnet close to the liquid ferrofluid, as it will cause the ferrofluid to jump to the magnet.

Instructions:

Carefully, attach the large washer to one of the flat surfaces of the two neodymium magnets. This gives the base stability.

Set the plastic dish on the top surface of the magnets and secure with the nut and bolt assembly.

Slowly drip the ferrofluid, a drop at a time, onto the TOP of the assembly, keeping the pipet well away from the magnets at all times. Numerous spikes should form. WARNING: if you add the ferrofluid too quickly, it may make a mess.

When finished, use the pipet to draw up the ferrofluid and return it to its bottle.

Things to Try:Bring a magnet to within 12 inches of the ferrofluid on the bolt and observe the effect on the spikes. What happens when you move this magnet? What is the greatest distance a magnet can affect the spikes? Repeat with another magnet. Using the two distances and the Inverse Square Law, determine the relative strengths of the two magnets.

This is an excellent means to show the properties of ferrofluids although the scientific explanation goes way beyond high school aged students. The setup can be challenging and a bit dangerous. As stated in one of the reviews, the two magnets can "fly" together pinching ones hands, skin, or other body parts. The two magnets contain neodymium in-bedded in a ceramic material, so they may shatter as they rapidly come together. It is also challenging to place the magnets on one side of the aluminum bowl and the bolt on the other side, since the magnets strongly pulls the bolt to them. But once set up, it is truly amazing to see how one can add the ferrofluid to the top of the bolt and see it spike like a solid and yet you can use the dropper to swirl the fluid around the bolt or draw it back into the pipet, as a liquid would behave. We've modified the setup by using a cafeteria tray covered with a cloth that will soak up any spills. We use a larger aluminum pan than the one provided, and we set the entire assembly into a round plastic food storage bowl. When we want it to be only on displace we place a large glass domed cover over it so guests can see without touching. We can remove the glass cover when we desire to demonstrate the properties of the ferrofluid. Another point of safety is to not have other magnets nearby. Some of the ferrofluid will fly through the air from the bolt to the nearby magnet, splashing, with the possibility of getting onto the guests or the demonstrators. I am unaware of the safety hazards of ferrofluid; however, we have found that Clorox Wipes are excellent for cleaning any areas that got onto the skin. Clothes seem to be permanently stained. If you desire more information about ferrofluid, we contributed a short article published in the October 2013 issue (#401) of Chem13 News about the setup, performing the demonstration, and applications of ferrofluid.

I bought this as a gift and he really liked it. He did break a magnet and pinch his fingers almost immediately, but that was his fault. The actual product was fun to set up and watch it move around with the magnetic attraction.

This stuff is a blast. I will be using it with my students this coming year. I have several inquiry, constructivist type, lab ideas. My excitement got the better of me when I was showing a principal friend of mine and her curriculum coach. My exuberance allowed the magnet and bolt to come together rather quickly and spraying their arms with the fluid. It does take a couple of days for the fluid, which stains the skin, to wear off and will stain clothes. This ferrofluid bolt kit is a must have.

NGSS

This product will support your students' understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)*, as shown in the table below.

Elementary

Middle School

High School

Students will benefit from demonstrations using Ferrofluid. Ferrofluid can be quite messy if handled recklessly. This kit is recommended for hands-on use with students in middle school and older.

MS-PS1-3

Students can use Ferrofluid to gather and make sense of information during an investigation.

MS-PS2-3

Students can use the Ferrofluid in an investigation to ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of magnetic forces.

MS-PS2-5

Students can use the Ferrofluid to conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.

MS-ESS2-2

Students can do an activity with the Ferrofluid with a Bar Magnet to construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience's processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

HS-PS3-5

The Ferrofluid can be used to develop and model how two objects interacting through magnetic fields, illustrates the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

Suggested Science Idea(s)

MS-ESS2-2

Using a variety of magnet shapes and the Ferrofluid will allow students to observe the various shapes magnetic field can take.

When a bar magnet is used, it can model how the magnetic properties of the North and South Poles of the Earth. Students can use this information to model how, over the course of Earth's history, the magnetic field of the poles have swapped location, based on magnetic readings of the Atlantic Ocean floor. Rotate the magnet 180 degrees to model the geologic history of the Earth's magnetic field.

DCI/PS1.A

Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties that can be used to identify it.

DCI-HS/PS2.B

Investigations using Ferrofluid and magnets will demonstrate the attraction and repulsion between electric charges at the atomic scale explain the structure, properties, and transformations of matter, as well as the contact forces between material objects. Use the Ferromagnetic Liquid to show the magnetic field.

S&E

Students can use the Ferrofluid to develop a model to describe a phenomenon. The students will be engaged in learning as they visualize various magnetic fields.

* NGSS is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product.